Letter: Having a voice in politics becoming diminished

In this photo taken July 26, 2012, Marge Youngs is shown in her home in Toledo, Ohio. As millions of baby boomers flood Social Security with applications for benefits, the program's $2.7 trillion surplus is starting to look small.

Is anyone else wondering why Social Security and Medicare are being called entitlements? I have had deductions from my paychecks for these "entitlements" for over 50 years.

Is anyone else wondering why Social Security and Medicare are being called entitlements? I have had deductions from my paychecks for these "entitlements" for over 50 years.

I am now semi-retired, working part time and I still have these deductions. What should have been a savings account turned into a slush fund for government spending. Instead of repaying the funds, Republican congressmen have decided to punish us by taking more away from this program.

It seems to me that the only ones who have to tighten their spending belts are the ones who have no say in what to cut. I wonder why the government gives grants for studies that no one cares about and are not beneficial to anyone; I wonder why the government gives so much foreign aid when people in this country are homeless and hungry. It must be because we, the people, have no say.

Popular Comments

The word "entitlement" is correct and appropriate in your case. You paid
into the system your entire life and now you're entitled to the benefits
that were promised. The meaning of the word has been distorted in the minds of
many because
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7:56 a.m. Dec. 9, 2012

Top comment

Mike Richards

South Jordan, Utah

While the sentiment of the letter is correct, the facts are inaccurate.

FDR, a Democrat, started the program.

LBJ, a Democrat, raided the
program with his "unified budget" to pay for the Vietnam War and for his
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8:02 a.m. Dec. 9, 2012

Top comment

Twin Lights

Louisville, KY

Folks,

Some of you need a bit of fact checking. The 1983 changes to
SS were the result of a grand bargain between Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neil.
The surpluses to come (and it was obvious they would) should have been invested
in a
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